NEWS RELEASE for IMMEDIATE RELEASE UPDATED August, 2013

NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE UPDATED August, 2013

CANADIAN COUNTRY CELEBRITIES CONVENE ON CENTRAL ALBERTA 6th Annual Charity Golf Classic Proceeds Support the Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation

(LACOMBE, AB) A multitude of Juno and Canadian Country Music Association winning musicians are gathering in central Alberta on August 7 and 8, 2013 in support of the 6th Annual Gord Bamford Charity Golf Classic.

Since 2008, Bamford has generated over $1 million dollars through The Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation (GBCF) to support organizations such as the Ronald McDonald House Central Alberta, Make- A-Wish Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters, as well as a numerous children’s hospitals across Canada.

It started six years ago with a simple vision: as Bamford’s celebrity began to grow, he wanted to use it in a way that would make a profound difference in the lives of underprivileged youth and single parent families across Canada. As a result, the Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation was born.

“The Foundation and the annual celebrity golf event have evolved into so much more than I ever expected. I wanted to give back to my community, and to see my fellow musicians support the event year after year is humbling,” says Bamford. “The goal of my Foundation has always come down to making a difference in someone’s life, whether it means taking their mind off their pain for a day or simply putting a smile on their face.”

The annual charity golf classic is the vehicle Bamford uses to generate the funds possible for that Foundation. Each year, top Canadian musicians perform at the pre-golf Gala event, and then are auctioned off to the highest bidder for a place on their golf team. This year Bamford has gathered some of the brightest stars in Canadian music: Michelle Wright, Deric Ruttan, Emerson Drive’s Brad Mates, Aaron Pritchett, Beverley Mahood, and Patricia Conroy, as well as American singer/songwriters Buddy Owens, Phil O’Donnell and Justin McBride.

Canadian Country Music Association award-winning artist Aaron Pritchett has been involved since its inception. “It's very important for me to support the GBCF because I have been fortunate in my career and want to give back in any way I possibly can. So, giving back to those whom need it most is extremely important. I feel compelled to give back in every possible way I can and Gord, with his golf tournament, gives me a chance to do that, to support an area that I don't live in," explains Pritchett.

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"I keep coming back, year after year, because the event is one that's a day of fun golf, an evening of great music, meeting people and making new friends. But, most importantly, the amount of money and awareness the event brings to the benefactors is incredible,” says Pritchett. “I'll keep coming back as long as I’m asked!"

PennWest Exploration has long supported the event as well, with the 2013 edition being its fifth year. Keith Luft, General Counsel & Senior Vice President, Stakeholder Relations says they’re proud to support the Gord Bamford Charity Classic Golf Tournament. “It provides a truly unique and “grassroots” opportunity for Penn West to engage in the community and create a positive impact where we live, work and play. The personal commitment from community leaders like Gord and his group is something really special which we wanted to support. Supporting initiatives such as this is a perfect example of how community matters to Penn West.” Other event sponsors include Dow Chemical Canada and KG Country FM Red Deer.

“I’m always scared to put a goal out there,” says Bamford. But hopefully we can surpass the amount from the year before and hit the $300,000 mark. That would be really nice.”

The 2013 event officially kicks off with the Celebrity gala, starting at 4:30 p.m., August 7, at the Red Deer Sheraton Hotel Exhibition Hall. The gala features performances by Bamford and the celebrity guests, a live celebrity auction. The Charity Golf Classic begins at the Lacombe Golf and Country Club at 8 a.m. on Thursday, August 8.

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*A Celebrity bio page will be included at the new Gord Bamford Foundation website once they are all confirmed. Also high resolution photos and other Backgrounder articles on the select charitable organizations supported by The Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation will be available on the Media page at the new Foundation website: www.gordbamfordfoundation.com/media

Official Twitter & Facebook Hashtag: #GordBamfordClassic

TO SET UP MEDIA INTERVIEWS AND FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Tracey Feist, Ground Words Communications (720) 254-6194 [email protected]

The Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation offers under privileged youth and single parent families in Canada an equal opportunity in life by providing monies to support education, health care and music. Furthermore, it is a Foundation goal to improve communities for Canadian youth through the construction or improvement of multiuse facilities.

BACKGROUNDER FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE UPDATED August, 2013

Canadian Companies Donate Corporate Support to Community

(LACOMBE, AB) Each year when Gord Bamford picks up the phone to begin raising money for his Charitable Foundation and annual charity golf classic, he knows of two stead-fast Alberta-based companies who are supporters of his vision that he can always rely on: PennWest Exploration and Dow Chemical Canada.

As Title sponsor for the event, Penn West and the Gord Bamford Charity Classic Golf are celebrating their 5th anniversary during the 2013 event. “Supporting initiatives such as this is a perfect example of how community matters to Penn West,” says Penn West Senior Vice President Keith Luft.

“The Gord Bamford Charity Classic Golf Tournament provides a truly unique and “grassroots” opportunity for Penn West to engage in the community and create a positive impact where we live, work and play. The personal commitment from community leaders like Gord and his group is something really special which we wanted to support,” says Luft.

This is Dow Chemical Canada’s second year supporting the Charity Golf Classic. “We believe in supporting a champion such as Gord, who is using this event to provide assistance to a wide variety of organizations in our community. Together we can make a valuable impact,” says Public Affairs Manager Shawna Bruce.

“It means a lot to me when companies like Penn West Exploration and Dow Chemical Canada have the same vision the Gord Bamford Foundation has about community support,” says Bamford. “Together we all make a great team, and in reality, we wouldn’t be able to raise the funds that we do without them.”

Red Deer radio station KG County 95-5 has been involved with Gord Bamford’s Celebrity Golf Classic since 2008. “To us, it’s important to support our local community and we feel Gord’s Charitable Foundation does just that,” says Tim Day, KG Country Music Director and Assistant Program Director. “We’re certainly looking forward to the 6th Annual and helping see that total of over $1,000,000 grow even further!”

The 6th Annual Gord Bamford Charity Golf Classic is slated for August 7 and 8th, 2013.

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ABOUT:

Title Sponsor: Penn West Exploration is one of the largest conventional oil and natural gas producers, operating a significant portfolio of light oil in Canada. Based in Calgary, Alberta, Penn West operates throughout western Canada on a land base encompassing nearly six million acres. Penn West is committed to the well-being of the communities and areas where it operates. As part of this commitment, they believe that community investment is a fundamental part of their corporate culture.

Venue Sponsor: Dow Chemical

Dow Chemical has operated in Canada for more than 70 years. Throughout its history, Dow Canada has manufactured basic chemicals and plastics used to make products in many sectors, including personal care, transportation, health care and home construction.

Printing Media Communications

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Media CONTACT:

Tracey Feist, Ground Words Communications (720) 254-6194 [email protected]

BACKGROUNDER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE UPDATED August, 2013

Celebrities, Canadian Athletes Support Gord Bamford’s Charity Golf Classic

(LACOMBE, AB) When it comes time to helping Gord Bamford raise money for his Gord Bamford Foundation, Canada’s country music community heeds the call.

This year is no different. Canadian country stars Deric Ruttan, Michelle Wright, Brad Mates (Emerson Drive), Aaron Pritchett, Patricia Conroy and Beverley Mahood are stepping up to help Bamford with his cause. American singer/songwriters Buddy Owens, Phil O’Donnell and Justin McBride will also be participating in the event.

The celebrities are auctioned off on Wednesday, August 7, to the highest bidder for the right to have them on their golf team the next day at the tournament.

“I am proud of my colleagues who are able to join me at my annual golf event. Not only is it a chance for us to raise money for the Foundation, it is a fun and relaxing night away from long days we spend on the road and allows us to mingle with our guests & corporate sponsors, says Bamford. “It’s easy to go to bed that night with a smile on your face.”

The Charity Golf Classic has also been heavily supported by several NHL players and alumni over the past five years. A full list of those individuals will be announced in the Media section on the new Gord Bamford Foundation website: www.gordbamfordfoundation.com.

Here is a list of the 2013 Celebrity performers: Gord Bamford Justin McBride Michelle Wright Wendell Ferguson Deric Ruttan Patricia Conroy Brad Mates (Lead singer for Emerson Drive) Beverley Mahood Duane Steele Dallas Smith Buddy Owens Phil O’Donnell Aaron Pritchett Tera Lee

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About Gord Bamford:

Gord Bamford is a multiple CCMA award winner & Juno nominated singer/songwriter, 2010 CCMA Male Artist of The Year, and the 2012 CCMA Songwriter of the Year. He released his highly anticipated 5th studio album and major label debut with Sony Music Canada, “Is It Friday Yet”, on March 6, 2012. Just as important as his music career are his philanthropic efforts, and the Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation

has generated over $1,000,000 in the past five years to support local charities. In 2010, Gord Bamford received the CCMA Humanitarian Award.

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BACKGROUNDER

For immediate release UPDATED August, 2013

Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation Launches New Website

(LACOMBE, AB) The Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation has a new website to support its mission in offering underprivileged youth and single parent families in Canada an equal opportunity in life by providing funds to support education, health care and music.

The website offers information about the early history of the Foundation and those organizations it has supported over the past five years. Over $1 million dollars has been raised to support the Foundation’s main mission:

Those monies have been successfully raised through his annual charity golf tournament, which was first held in 2008. It was Gord’s love of sports (He once thought a professional baseball career might be a possibility), that helped him choose a golf tournament format as a way to gather friends, celebrity musical colleagues and professional athletes together to help support his philanthropy work. As word spread of the event’s success, telephones began to ring. A large number of groups and organizations wanted Gord to help out in some fashion with their various fundraisers. While Gord found it very difficult not being able to reach out to these groups, an idea was born to create a Foundation to help service these requests.

Gord Bamford believes there is nothing more important than his family and children. As a child growing up in Lacombe, Gord was a part of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program. He experienced the impact of having someone “give” their time and support to make his life a better one.

“It was a real good thing for me,” says Bamford of that time when his mom suggested he sign up for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program in Lacombe. “Having that male figure in my life was a good thing at that point in my young teen years. My big brother rode bulls, was a cowboy and I travelled to lots of rodeos with him. It’s probably what got me into country and country music to begin with.”

That experience set the stage for what would eventually become The Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation.

The new website went live today, Monday, June 17, 2013. The address is: www.gordbamfordfoundation.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE UPDATED August, 2013

Confirmed Celebrities for the 6th Annual Gord Bamford Charity Golf Classic

(LACOMBE, AB) The following is a confirmed list of celebrities who will be in attendance at the Gord Bamford Charity Golf Classic in Lacombe, AB August 7 and August 8, 2013.

Celebrity Category Performing Y/N Live Auction Participant Gord Bamford Recording Artist Yes Yes Aaron Pritchett Recording Artist Yes Yes Deric Ruttan Recording Artist Yes Yes Brad Mates Recording Artist Yes Yes Michelle Wright Recording Artist Yes Yes Beverley Mahood Recording Artist Yes Yes Duane Steele Recording Artist Yes Yes Buddy Owens Recording Artist Yes Yes Phil O’Donnell Recording Artist Yes No Tera Lee Recording Artist Yes Yes Justin McBride Recording Artist Yes Yes Wendell Ferguson Recording Artist Yes No Foxworthee Girls Recording Artist Yes No Jackie Rae Greening Radio Personality No Yes Denny Hay CPRA Cowboy No Yes Rod Hay CPRA Cowboy No Yes Gilbert Dionne NHL No Yes Theoren Fleury NHL No Yes Curtis Glencross NHL No Yes Chris Mason NHL No Yes Kris Russell NHL No Yes Duane Sutter NHL No Yes Pete Vandermeer NHL No No Brent Bingham Golf Pro No Yes W. Brett Wilson Dragon’s Den No No Jackson Davies Actor No Yes

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BACKGROUNDER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE UPDATED August, 2013

2013 Gord Bamford Charity Golf Classic – Sponsor “Heroes”

The 2013 Gord Bamford Charity Golf Classic Committee would like to recognize these Heroes Sponsors:

BACKGROUNDER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE UPDATED August, 2013

2013 Gord Bamford Charity Golf Classic – “Raise the Bar” Sponsors

The 2013 Gord Bamford Charity Golf Classic Committee would like to recognize these Raise the Bar Sponsors:

A&B Pipelines KG Country 95.5 FM Red Deer Alberta Sports Vision Institute Kindopp’s Digital Printing Apparel Solutions LA Carpet and Tile Ashley Gelmici-McTavish Real Estate McCaws Drilling & Sandblasting Ltd. ATB Business & Agriculture Services McMeekin Resources Booster Juice MNP Lacombe Canadian Claim Services Peace Hills Insurance Crimtech Services Ltd. Phone Experts D.J. Will Holdings Limited Ponoka Stampede Association Dorward & Company LLP Chartered Accountants Prairie Bus Lines Downton’s Transport Property Solutions East Country Electric Ron Sims Auctioneering GCS Energy Services Sony Entertainment Canada Gimmics TBR Contracting Hoopfer Construction The Mavericks Hydrodig The Moose Group Intact Insurance Wajax Power Systems The Keg Steakhouse & Bar Waschuk Pipelines

BACKGROUNDER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE UPDATED August, 2013

2013 Gord Bamford Charity Golf Classic - Schedule of Events

(LACOMBE, AB) The 2013 edition of the Gord Bamford Charity Golf Classic is set to bring together celebrities, corporations and communities in support The Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation.

Media involvement and attendance is welcome at the event. Please contact Tracey Feist, Ground Words Communications at 720-254-6194, to confirm your participation. The new Gord Bamford Foundation website “Media Only” area offers more information on the Celebrity performers’ bios, photos, and other articles relating to the event. High resolution photos from the 2013 event will be posted in this secure area. Tracey Feist can provide you with the password information.

Social Media information: Twitter: #GordBamfordClassic Facebook: #GordBamfordClassic Facebook: Gord Bamford

Tuesday, August 7: Gala Event Red Deer Sheraton Exhibition Hall, 3310 - 50th Avenue, Red Deer, Alberta

4:30 pm Cocktails begin (silent & live auction viewing) 5:30 pm Dinner 6:30 pm Evening program - Hosted by KG Country 95.5 FM Morning Hosts Tera Lee & Greg Shannon 7:30 pm Live Artist Performances - Hosted by Wendell Ferguson along with GB Band & Special Guests 9:00 pm LIVE Auction begins 10:30 pm Jam Session with special guests

Wednesday August 8: Charity Golf Classic Lacombe Golf and Country Club - 6000 - 50th Avenue, Lacombe, Alberta

8:00 am Golf Registration & Breakfast 9:00 am Golf 5:30 pm Dinner 6:30 pm Prizes -MORE-

Gord Bamford Charity Golf Classic Live auction items

 Four Seasons Resort, Punta Mita Resort, Mexico, TTI Travel, WestJet Travel Package  Gord Bamford Private House Concert donated by Cache Entertainment  Willie Nelson Autographed Guitar donated by The Gord Bamford Foundation  Calgary Stampede Chuckwagon VIP All-Access Evening donated by The Calgary Stampede Chuckwagon Committee  Edmonton 2013 Canadian Country Music Association Award's Package donated by Canadian Country Music Association  Two Seats to a Montreal Canadiens Game at the Bell Centre Montreal donated by The Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation and Gilbert Dionne  Ponoka “78” Annual Stampede Event Two All Performance Ticket Packages donated by The Ponoka Stampede Association  Curtis Glencross signed jersey along with (4) Four Flames vs Oilers Game donated by The Calgary Flames  GB 2013 Golf Tourney "All Artist" Autographed Guitar donated by Gord Bamford  ATB Rexall Sky Suite Concert Package (Includes 2013 CCMAs, Jason Alden October 4, Brad Paisley October 26 and 2013 CFR) donated by ATB Financial Business & Agriculture  One (1) Golf Team spot for the 2014 7th Annual GB Charity Golf Classic donated by The Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation  Gord Bamford Autographed 2013 Charity Golf Classic Guitar donated by Gord Bamford  Pheasant 30 Bird Shoot with Gord Bamford  Rebels Night Out donated by Mooney Insurance Group  Longball Inc. Golf Package for 2, Accompanied by Mitch Evanecz donated by Mitch Evanecz  Seven day guided archery resident Elk bow hunt for 2013 hunting season donated by Lone Pine Outfitting Inc. & East Country Electric

All guests and golfers at the 2013 Gord Bamford Charity Golf Classic will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to win a 2013 Dyna Street Bob FXDB Harley Davidson motorcycle donated by The Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation, with assistance from Gasoline Alley Harley Davidson